


The Disappearing: A Charlie Swan and Seth Clearwater Story

by DarkGraniteMoon



Category: Twilight Series - All Media Types
Genre: Drama & Romance, Horror, Mistery, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-04
Updated: 2021-02-04
Packaged: 2021-03-15 22:20:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,382
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29196735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkGraniteMoon/pseuds/DarkGraniteMoon
Summary: The Cullens have disappeared, leaving only a cryptic letter behind. As Charlie starts to work on the mistery alongside the young shape-shifter Seth, what will he find? What monsters will he have to hunt down?
Relationships: Seth Clearwater/Charlie Swan, Sue Clearwater/Charlie Swan





	1. Old Business

My name is Charlie. I'm a man. Or at least I think I am. My daughter is a vampire. My best  
friend's son, a kid I've known my entire life, turned into a wolf in front of my eyes. I don't  
even know what my granddaughter is. I love her, but I can feel her prying in my mind every  
time I visit. There's only one thing I know for sure: this is not the work of a bear.  
"Everything all right, chief?" Billy asks.  
"Sure, I was just... thinking about another case. Anyway, I see nothing suspicious here. Just  
another bear attack, Animal Control stuff", I lie, looking at the mangled corpse. Everything in  
the crime scene made it look like the work of a beast, from the claw marks, to the bites, to the  
vast blood splatters. Everything pointing towards the attack of something not human, strong,  
animalistic. But I had learned to recognize the small signs. The suspicious discoloration of the  
skin. The strange brutality of the wounds around the neck. Nothing I could share with  
forensics, that's for sure - for their sake.  
"Let's put out a warning for hikers"  
"Already done. But can I ask you a question, chief?"  
"Of course, kid. Just don't call me chief. I know you're new here, and it must sound strange,  
coming from the big city, but call me Charlie like everyone else. It's Forks"  
"Ok chie... Charlie" - he hesitates and stops, as if looking for a way out of the embarrassment  
"...Mr. Swan?"  
"Fine", I reply with a sigh. "I am becoming old, after all. You were saying?"  
"Well, Mr. Swan... why are you here? I- I mean, the forensics team already said it was a bear  
when they called you, right? Why bother coming all the way up here, with the rain, and the  
mud, and all?"  
"As I said - it's Forks. I know almost everyone here. I want to check on my people as well as  
I can, always. Even when it's a bear. Besides, our 'forensic team', as you call it, is just Jack  
Clisby. One time he mistook a tattoo for a knife wound."  
"How -"  
"He came to the scene straight from a bar"  
"Why -"  
"We can't afford anyone else. Besides, he always brings cupcakes! More than enough for  
Forks" - Or at least, it used to be. I don't say that part out loud.  
"Come on kid, let's go back to the city. We still have a family to bring sad news to"  
"I hate this part..."  
"Me too. But hey, cheer up! I heard someone brought cupcakes"  
I can't do this anymore. I know, I know, it's cliché. Doesn't make it less true. There's a  
reason why clichés exist - they're far too common in life.

This is the second "bear attack" in two weeks. I had asked Carlisle about the first one, of  
course. He said he was sorry, but he didn't sense anyone in the area - nor did any other  
Cullen. "It must have been a lone vampire, just passing along. They're most likely miles  
away by now". I admit I am still a bit skeptical of the whole "vegetarian" thing, but it's been  
five years since my own daughter was turned and they became my family. Still sounds weird  
to say it, though, "family". And they're going to move very soon, anyway - people have  
started noticing how the handsome town doctor "doesn't seem to age very quickly". That's  
one way to put it.  
Yes, I trust them with my life now. But a second body, so soon after the first? I have  
questions. Might as well go say hi to Jacob's pack on the way. They can smell vampire even  
better than Alice can sense them.  
I arrive at the Cullen house, with a gift for Nessie I picked up along the way. I wonder if  
she still likes these young adult novels stuff? I became used to her powers - it's just part of  
who she is, I understood after a while. And who she is, is my granddaughter who laughs at  
my dumb jokes before I say the punchline. But boy I can not figure out her aging. I brought  
some chocolates just to be sure. At least she can eat normal food - wait, can she? Whatever,  
I'm here.  
The house still looks like it was built yesterday. No sign of disrepair, no tear and wear. No  
splinters, no smudged glasses. Forever unchanging, like its inhabitants - Nessie excluded, I  
think. I hope.  
I don't even think I've ever seen a light switched on, unless it was a particularly dark night.  
So I'm not particularly surprised when I don't see any, even if the sun is setting. But it feels  
weird nonetheless. There doesn't seem to be a soul (if they have any), no trace of movement  
behind the enormous windows that show every room.  
"Hello? Is anyone in here? Bella? Nessie? ...Edward?"  
Maybe they just went out to hunt. But all together, at the same exact time? I start to feel my  
heart pumping faster.  
I knock on the front door, but it opens - it's unlocked. I hear the sound of my blood, thumping  
against my ears. There's a letter on the floor, just behind the entrance. 

Dear Charlie,  
I am sorry we had to leave so suddenly. Carlisle started to hear too many rumours too fast  
about our aging. Alice swears she distinctly heard someone call her "vampire" behind her  
back. Normally we would have stayed to warn you, but not with Renesmee. We know it  
doesn't look like it, but she's too young for this. Don't call - we had to ditch all our  
phones. We will try and write you once we reach a safe place.  
Love,  
Bella, Renesmee, Edward, Carlisle, Esme, Alice, Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper  
p.s.  
Take care, old man. Alice

p.p.s.  
Stay safe. Tell mom I'm all right. Love you. Bella

The sun has set, painting the empty house with darkness. They're gone. They're all gone.  
My Bella...  
I stumble outside, still clutching the gifts for Nessie. They look so stupid now. So small.  
They say they'll write, that they just moved. I might not know much about the supernatural,  
but these stories, people leaving with no trace? They are far too common in this town - and  
they're my job, and this doesn't sound right. Or are these delusions of an old man? Or...  
My derailing train of thoughts stops abruptly. I hear someone howling. I hear someone  
howling at me.


	2. A New Ally

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlie is surprised by the young wolf Seth. Together, they discover that something dark is afoot...

I turn towards the howl. In the thick of the trees in front of the Cullens’ house I see a giant wolf desperately calling for his pack. Between the calls he stares directly at me. I recognize him immediately: it’s Seth Blackwater of the Black pack. My soon-to-be son-in-law. And he looks hurt, limping. I can see a bloody wound in his left hind leg. It must be at least a twelve inches slash.  
“Seth! Hey Seth! Are you ok? What happened? Do you know anything about this?” I say, gesturing at the empty mansion.  
“Ar rooff!”, he aggressively growls in response. Seth has been mostly independent from his mother Sue, preferring to stay with the pack, since before I started dating his mother Sue. Although I don’t interfere with his emancipated life, the few times I saw him with Sue he’s always been hostile. After all, his father died no more than three years ago. It must be hard to deal both with the grief of losing a father figure and accepting your mother dating another man. Poor kid.  
“Seth, you know me, it’s fine. Can you shift? It’s hard to talk this way, you know”  
He shifts back into his human form. He’s wearing his usual sleeveless hoodie, but that’s the only usual thing about his appearance. He looks distraught, like someone who just saw a ghost. His leg looks messed, and his head is also heavily bruised. I hadn’t noticed it under the fur.  
“Someone knocked me unconscious some… shit, some hours ago. I was going to visit Edward, saw the empty house, and… something hit me very hard. I don’t know what. I have the sharpest hearing of the pack and didn’t perceive anything. Not even as it striked me. I just came to my senses. I guess you’re here for the same reason as me, Mr. Swan?”  
“Yes, I wanted to just pop up and say hello, bring a gift to Nessie. And please, call me Charlie”  
“Did you see anything weird in there, Mr. Swan?” He stresses the last part as to put as much distance as he can between us.  
“It looks tidy as ever but… I found this”  
I show him the letter. His eyes sharpen, looking more and more worried as he proceeds to read the short note. Then he sniffs it carefully.  
“It reads like them, and it certainly smells like them… But I’m not sure. Why wouldn’t they say anything more? To anyone? Mr. Swan, you’re police, right? Let’s go look at the crime scene”  
“Well, I haven’t officially done detective work for a while, but…”  
He ignores me and proceeds to walk to the house.  
“...but I guess it’s time to go back. Again”

“Is there anything I should look for in particular, Mr. Swan?” He asks while on the doorstep.  
“Uuuh, yes. I didn’t see anything on the lower floor, so go on to their rooms. We’re looking for any sign of struggle, or hurry. Personal belongings left around, stuff like that. Oh, and try to not touch anything, in case we have to call this in and have someone look for fingerprints”  
“You’d have the police investigate the house of a vampire coven?”  
“Well… I guess not. Still, be careful kid”  
“I got it, you...”  
As he steps into the house, he freezes. His eyes widen, his hair stands up. He growls and lowers his head, his gaze steady looking inside the mansion.  
“You all right, kid?”  
“No. There’s a weird smell here. Even worse than vampire. I don’t like it. It’s the same stench but… worse. More dead. More savage”  
I pull out my gun.  
“Is it fresh? Is whatever left it here? Seth, is it here?”  
“No. I’m not familiar with it, but it’s fading, at least a day old”  
“I have a bad feeling about this…”  
“On this we can agree, Mr. Swan”  
As we walk into the house, he bolts to the bedrooms like a bloodhound. I follow. We go through all the rooms, one by one. Weirdly enough, there’s no sign of hurry. Every closet, every drawer looks meticulously emptied. Only some books are left, even in Carslile’s impressive library. I’m not much of a reading man, but he did give me a tour once - it was worthy. Now all the rare tomes are gone, as are medicine manuals. Renesmee’s room looks exactly like a teen girl’s room who has just moved should: every poster of boy bands I tried so hard to remember the name of has been carefully detached from the wall and, I suppose, rolled and packed most carefully. Guess she’s still in that phase. Tears form in my eyes, as I realise I’m still holding the box of chocolates. I don’t know why, but I put it down on her bed.  
For a moment, Seth looks at me with less hostility.  
I leave Bella and Edward’s room for last. Everything looks the same at the rest of the house. Empty. I turn to leave, but Seth stops me, firmly grabbing my shoulder.  
“Wait. I think there’s something under the bed”  
I look. There is something just barely visible under the bed: a big black box, roughly the size of a suitcase, with a simple padlock. Seth pulls it out, and starts to try and break the lock with his canine strength. As he does it, I soon make a horrible, but fair, assumption.  
“Kid, please stop…”  
It’s too late. He opens it. What looks like a giant multi-layered toolbox filled to the brim with every possible variety of sex toy flashes in front of my eyes before i manage to steer my gaze away - too late.  
“JESUS CHRIST NO”  
Accepting my daughter as a vampire was easier.  
“Well… hey Mr. Swan, that’s a clue!” Seth says, visibly embarrassed but still able to engage in deductive reasoning, something I’m actively trying to avoid at the moment.  
“What? ”  
“We saw that everything was packed very carefully. Books, posters… isn't it weird that they left… this?” - he gestures at the plethora of phallic shapes on the top layer - “It certainly looks like something you would want to bring along, right? Seems like they put a lot of effort into it, don’t you think?”  
“I don’t think. I think nothing. I don’t want to… let’s go out”  
I ask him to put it away as we found it. While we walk down the stairs, out in the house, and into the front yard, my mind clears of the perfectly justifiable fatherly embarrassment. It does look weird to leave something like this behind, while every other minor thing was packed. Why was it left behind? It was quite hidden from view. Did something else unpack the house? No, that’s just impossible… it would have to be something able to overcome the Cullens, all their strength, their mind-reading and future-predicting, and then the note…  
“You know what, kid? You might be onto something. What do you think is the next step?”  
“That smell I sensed when I first walked it… I’m worried. I want to ask the elders, maybe they would know more about something like this. And… don’t call me kid”  
“I won’t call you kid if you don’t call me Mr. Swan. Reciprocal respect. Deal?”  
“Deal”  
“Seth”  
“Charlie…”  
A powerful embarrassing silence arises.  
“...do you need a ride?”  
“...no. I- I’m going, you… go ask my mom, I guess? Go ask the lab, for something police?... I’ll send you a text when I know more”  
“Lab something police? Kid… Seth, what do you think we do?”  
“Goodbye”  
He leaps, turns into his wolf self, and speeds away into the woods.

As I enter the precinct, I immediately sense that something’s off. Even more than usual when we get a murder victim.  
As soon as he spots me, Billy erupts: “Dr. Thorne wants to see you”  
“Oh, ok. Sudden. Did he find anything unusual?”  
“I… I don’t know. But he looked worried”  
“Understood. Billy, how are you? You still look pretty shaken from the scene”  
“I’m fine, boss. First crime scene! Sorry. I guess you just have to get used to it. Does it get easier?”  
“No. But you start to forget it more efficiently”

I stroll into the morgue.  
“Hey doc, what do we have here?”  
“Well Charlie, you see, I thought it would look just like the past bear attacks… but it doesn’t! It ain’t the same small-pawed bear we’ve been trying to hunt for the past three years! Just when the attacks stop and you think one could call off at least one of the forty hunting parties… another pops up. And what’s more, I think it ain’t even a bear! Still, there’s claws and all, probably another kind of beast…”  
“Uh? That’s… interesting. What makes you think that?”  
“There’s not the same amount of strength in the blows, for starters. And, what’s even more interesting, I can’t see no focus on the neck. An animal would always go for the throat, to finish its prey quickly. Sure, the area was hit, but no more than any other… Like that whatever-it-was just mauled the poor chap blindly, at random, until it finally died. Jesus, what a poor way to die”.  
“I understand… anything more, doc?”  
“Not that I can see. That’s what you get for never graduating, I guess!”  
“What?”  
“What?”  
“...”  
I walk away, perplexed. I ignore everyone at the station and go sit in the car. I need some quiet. Something different than a bear… something different than a vampire. What could it have been? A real werewolf? I know they’re really different from the shapeshifters I’m familiar with, so I guess they could do this, but I’ve also been told they were practically extinct now… I look at the evening sky just to be sure, and I see a clear half-moon peeking between the clouds. Never mind, last night couldn’t have been a full moon.  
I exhale, realizing I have been holding my breath since going out of the morgue. Why am I worrying so much about some “mythical” creature? It might as well be an unrelated attack to what might have happened at the Cullen’s, and what did happen at Seth. Maybe something with rabies? I’d ask the doc to check for it, but I have a hunch it might be beyond his abilities.  
I already miss Carlisle, he could have figured it out for sure… And Bella. Not because of this, I just miss her. And Nessie. Not because they could figure this out - I mean, they probably could. I saw them less a week ago, but I’m getting the feeling it will take much longer to see them again...


	3. The Path Opens

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our protagonist learns a twisted truth, and is sent on a mission with the young wolf

I light a cigarette. What can I do now? As much as it pains to admit it, I really relied on those rallying vampires for help with... supernatural stuff. In times that now seem long passed, I'd have gone to my Quileute friends. Well, good thing I married one. I send a message to Seth.

"Need to discuss weird stuff with Sue. Has she said anything yet? U with her rn?  
Charlie"

"Called her, she said we should meet with the whole tribe. Come to La Push at 9. Also you can't use abbreviations in an SMS and sign your name at the same time please pick one"

"K  
Charlie"

On the road to La Push, I stop at The Lodge to have a bite. The only actually good restaurant-diner-bar in Forks, catering to all the needs for all kinds of folks (although they're not many). For all the things that changed my life, my point of view, my family, The Lodge remained there, still. Sure, each year there are different servers, teens earning a couple bucks, enough to try and leave for Seattle. But, although it's a place of passage for many, it remains stable itself. My location for a pint with friends, a relaxed date. Sturdy in time as its hardwood tables. As I walk towards the entrance, I notice there are no cars; there's a sign, written in bold letters: CLOSED FOR RENOVATIONS.

I smoke a cigarette in the empty parking lot, like an angsty teen. Didn't know I had so much in common with my daughter.

As I arrive at the meeting place, Sue's home, I see that something is wrong here, too. I open the front door with my keys, and see no one inside. Everyone is already in the backyard, towards the forest, in a circle around a bonfire. That's weird. This was supposed to happen at 9, and I arrived early because of the damn skipped dinner. Moreover... Everyone is silent. A figure detaches from the circle. Standing against the fire I only see its silhouette, but I immediately recognize her. I saw that profile many times, in the darkness, just like this. Laying with me, most of the time on her bed. In these past few years of insane supernatural events, it has been my biggest comfort. And, much more importantly than that, she has been the woman I could love; the one that loves my bad puns as much as I love her secret forest paths, her love of the wilderness, our quiet trips to the lake, our cozying up in a tent afterwards, our... Although her eyes still gleam with her usual, natural tenderness, they are now shrouded with a worry I saw only when the Volturi came.

"Honey, what is going on? How..."

"Charlie, you need to go. Now"

"What- what's the hurry? Why? I- I don't... should we sit down for a moment? Can I bring something to our guests or..."

"We're already running out of time. You..."

"Out of time for what? Sue, why is everyone here already? Where is Seth?"

"He's in his room, preparing. Now..."

"Preparing for what?? For.."

"I DON'T KNOW." She screams. As even the forest falls silent, she shudders from her own outburst. Recomposing herself, she softly squeezes my arm. "Let's go for a walk".

"Well, it is a nice evening" I reply, quite a bit shocked.

We move towards the woods, strolling silently for some brief minutes. She's holding my arm, clearly trying to prepare some kind of speech in her head. I'm the first to break the solemn and sombre silence, with a quiet whisper: "So, three vampires walk into a bar..."

"Charlie! You..." She starts a scolding before bursting into laughter. "Thank you."

I give her a quick kiss in response. "Sue... what happened back there?"

"It's... hard to explain. I'll try." She takes a deep breath before continuing. "As I'm sure you've already gathered, there's something weird going on in Forks. And not the kind of weird we're used to."

I nod.

"You're quite familiar with vampires, how they're turned, and all that, right? How their venom 'freezes' you, giving all those weird properties. Like immortality. And you know how they have a very... peculiar scent, one we know very well, especially the ones who are able to phase. It's been described to be like something you'd smell in a very old building. That smells of something stale, of air that has not moved for ages, that makes it a little harder to breathe, even though there's no reason to. Apparently it feels very much like that, in the worst possible way: more acidic, metallic, sharp... Seth, and the others he led to the Cullen home before the meeting, perceived the same thing. But not coming from their now former inhabitants. They know their scents very well by now, and most importantly it was something way worse. More rotten, they said. The smell of something similar to vampire, but moldy, decaying, consumed."

"So like an even olden vampire? Did those weirdos with togas come back? Oh if I see them..."

"No. We also saw some patches of fur right around where Seth was knocked unconscious. And it wasn't of the shape-shifters, or some other animal. It had the same stench as the house"

"Oh, fu..."

"Oh, fuck. It's something new. Something undead, still. But different. Something beastly. And well... just fucking worse. We have legends of things like that. Creatures tainted with a similar venom as vampires, but more unstable. Creatures that weren't turned from living to un-dead, but directly risen from death itself. An even bigger affront to the cycles of nature"

"And let me guess, we can't convince them to calm down like Emmett"

She very briefly chuckles, before turning to an even more severe expression "No, Charlie. That we know. But what I said is all the knowledge we possess. And it's not enough."

"Hm, interesting. Can we shoot it?"

"That is an example of something we have no idea about. Certainly would come in useful." She responds with a slight smile.

"Well, how to find that 'knowledge'? Is there some magical book somewhere, some...?"

She cuts me short. "There may actually be. Not magical, but a book. Or a scroll, or... parchment? Old stuff. Most of our myths and legends are passed on orally, but we know of someone who has a good deal of it written down... And that's where I ask you to come into play." She says reluctantly. "I know that you've already participated in more than your fair share of supernatural insanity and you..."

I interrupt her. "Sue, honey. It's fine. I love you, and if there's anything I can do to help you, or the tribe, or..." I stop for a second, as the dreadful realization of the danger my daughter and niece might be in comes down on me. "...or my family, I will. And I'm the damn Chief! Protecting is my job."

"Thank you. And... for now there's no reason to worry about Bella or the others. It looks like they left packing their things carefully, and there's no way that whatever is out there could make their leave by force. You know how powerful they all are, especially all together, especially with Alice looking forward for them. I'm sure they're safe and well. But this being said... it also can't be a coincidence."

Realizing I'd held my breath in tension, I exhale and hug her, relieved. Setting my mind straight back, I ask: "So what do you need me to do?"

"Leave. That someone I mentioned lives far up north in the woods. Normally we'd just send one of us, but we prefer to research as much as we can of what we have here, and keep Forks safe."

"I imagine I'm to ride at the first signs of dawn?"

"Yes. Time is of the essence. I'll give you all the details and maps I have back at the house. You'll spend most of the time going directly through the forest. Also... Seth will follow."

"Oh." An awkward family silence fills the air.

"I know you two don't get along really well but... he knows our language, and he's the best spotter we have. He'll sense trouble before trouble finds you, and make sure you run in the opposite direction. Besides, maybe you will learn to tolerate each other! And he already said yes!" She concludes with the hope of a cheerful mother.

"...I guess it makes sense. Oh, what am I saying! He's a good kid. Time for a bonding experience?"

She laughs, this time without losing her smile. "And since you're taking it so well, there's another little thing you may help us with..." she was with strange cunning.

"Sure, what...""So, Seth would be leaving the pack for this, although temporarily. It's truly the best choice, we need someone to escort you up there, and a shape-shifter is the only one who can do the job. But you have to convince Jacob Black."


End file.
